


Normal Enough Kids

by MagicMar



Series: Sally Face Stories [1]
Category: Sally Face (Video Games)
Genre: Additional Warnings Apply, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Normal High School, Alternate Universe - Not Paranormal, Biblical References, Bisexual Male Character, Bisexual!Sal Fisher, Bullying, Chug/Maple is established since the start of the story, Eventual Sal/Travis, F/M, Gen, Homophobia, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I'm Bad At Tagging, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Character Death, Slow Burn, This IS the sally face fandom tho so it’s not that fucked up on those terms, Travis is going through it, no one dies I promise, proceed with caution if you’re easily triggered though, the gang deserves better
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-29
Updated: 2019-02-22
Packaged: 2019-09-28 06:22:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17177573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MagicMar/pseuds/MagicMar
Summary: Sal Fisher, the tragic boy who had his face “ruined” by something as innocent as wanting to pet a dog.Sal Fisher who had lost his mother to the same rabid dog.“Sally Face!” The bullies had shouted at his frail seventh grade stature when they caught sight of his, unnatural, white prosthetic.Sal (and his father) who left a (shit) life in New Jersey for a life in small town called Nockfell, moving into the Addison Apartments complex.Sally Face, who embraced his nickname because it can’t hurt if he loves it. He made amazing friends, none as close as Larry though.Sally Face who’s high school life isn’t plauged by cultists and ghosts and murder, he’s just a normal freshman boy.Well, as normal as he can get.





	1. It Begins Near the End

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! I love all the characters in Sally Face (as well as the spooky and amazing story) and honestly they deserve better than most of them dying. I’ve also seen no decent just-high-school fics of them?? So if you want something done right you have to do it yourself.
> 
> Follow my Tumblr is you want updates or to just see me post or reblog dumb shit, my url is magic-mar.

“That’s super fucked up, Larry Face,” Sal let out a breathy laugh, muffled by his prosthetic, “How do you even think of this shit?”

“You’re tellin’ me you’ve never thought of undead zombie-cats takin’ over the world? ‘S a sad life you’ve got there.” Larry shut his locker and followed Sally as he walked away.

The two boys continued to bicker on the way to their first class of the school day where they’d meet up with Todd and Maple, and eventually everyone else in their friend group. 

Sal is and always will be grateful for the friends he has today. If someone had told small, quiet and scared 7th grade him that in Sophomore year he’d have an amazing group of amazing friends he’s probably call them insane. Or, well, he’d run away but the point is there.

…

Sal tossed down his tray of less-than-appealing school lunch and took a seat amongst his friends, listening in to their idle chatter.

“It’s alright that you enjoy the sandwiches, Chug, but they’re rather… unpleasant, to most of us. They should at minimum give us food options. Don’t you agree, Sal?”

Looking up at the mention of his name, Sal nodded, “You make a good point, Todd,”

“Good point about what?” Larry chimed in, all but throwing his tray down on the table before taking a seat next to Sal. 

“Hey Larry Face, Todd was saying- actually I’ll let him explain. I’m gonna run to the bathroom.” Sal slipped out his seat, hearing Todd being to tirelessly explain his point to Larry.

On his way down the hallway, Sal spotted Ashley stepping out of a classroom with her camera in hand.

“Hey Ash, how come you’re not at lunch?” 

“Hey Sal! Just had to finish up a make-up test for Sanderson’s class, her work is super tough sometimes,” she pulled her fingers through the ends of her hair, sighing exhaustedly, “Well, I’ll head over now and you can get to where you’re going. See you, Sally Face.” 

Sal smiled, turning up the corners of his eyes purposely so she could tell from behind his prosthetic, “See you, Ash,”

…

Sal stepped into the boy’s bathrooms and immediately heard a sob being muffled in a nearby stall. 

Concerned, He passed by the stalls until he saw the only occupied one. Clearly, this person expected to be alone.

Regardless, he knocked, “Hello? Anyone in here?” he said in (hopefully) his most calm yet inviting voice. 

“No duh, dipshit. Fuck off, will ya?”

“Travis?” Shit, really? Travis was the infamous bully that liked to pick on just about everyone, will Sal as a regular target. 

“I can’t really blame him,” Sal thought, “I’m an easy target. And I can only imagine the shit he has going on at home to be as angry as he is all the time.” 

Sal sighed, “... Were you... crying just a minute ago?”

“Sally Face?” He missed a beat, evidently startled by the sudden confrontation, “What? No! Now way, can’t a guy have some privacy?”

Sal paused, Travis obviously lying through his teeth, he’d definitely have to choose his words carefully. 

“... It’s okay to have emotions, you know?”

“Yeah, for queers! Just leave me alone, alright?”

Sal’s breath hitched, hardly audible from behind his prosthetic. He was going to have to take a different approach to this.

“... Why do you hate me so much?” He almost held his breath waiting for a response, hardly noticing the way Travis pauses hearing the question.

“Because you and your friends are a bunch of homos!” His voice is snide and venomous, “It’s sick! God will never love you! Why should I?” 

Sal can’t help but think not all of that was directed at them by the almost automated undertone of his voice, he certainly thought those words a lot. 

Yet, Sal opts to defend his friends (and himself), of course.  
“You know we’re not all actually gay, right?” He quickly adds, “I mean, besides for Todd. Todd is super gay.”

Sal continues, “But that’s part of who he is and I think it’s wonderful. He’s one of the kindest people I know. How could anyone hate Todd?”

Travis only responds with an unpleasant grumble, but Sal can hear his facade slipping.

Sal pauses to think, why didn’t he consider that before?

“Is your father pushing these beliefs on you?”

Travis is immediately defensive, “Just because my dad is a preacher doesn’t mean he owns me! I’m my own person!” 

Sal winces, and goes straight to diffusing the situation. He doesn’t want to get Travis angry, after all.

“Yeah, but… Well, you just seem so unhappy, man. Are you sure your dad isn’t putting too much pressure on you?”

He doesn’t get a response, so he continues,

“I bet it’s tough being the son of such an intense man.”

Travis interjects without a hitch, “You have no idea what it’s like.” He spat.

Sal is finally at a loss, he really can’t offer anything but his pity, “I’m sorry, man.”

Travis’s anger seems to fade as he lets out a defeated, “Don’t feel sorry for me, Sally Face. I don’t need your pity.” 

Pity doesn’t do much, but Sal can offer his support.

“We don’t have to be enemies, you know that right?”

Travis doesn’t respond, only letting out a quiet sniffle.

“I think under all that anger, there’s a good dude who’s afraid to be himself… If you need someone to talk to, or if you need to get away from your dad for a while, you can hang   
out with me.” Sal offers, and gently and genuinely as he can.

Sal doesn’t get a response right away, he steps back and gives Travis a bit of time.

It’s a few more seconds before he hears a meek, “...Wh— why are you being so nice to me?” 

“I don’t think you’re a bad person, Travis” Sal doesn’t miss a beat, nor does he lie.

“You know… I don’t really hate you… or your friends…” Travis says gently, almost afraid of his own words. 

Sal feels as if he finally broke down his defensive covers, “ I didn’t think so.” He answers briefly, inviting Travis to keep talking.

“I— I guess- well, I’m sorry I’ve been such an asshole. You didn’t deserve that.”

“That means a lot to me. It really does. Thank you. I’m sorry for what I said earlier, too.”

“...And what I said, about being here for you if you ever decide you want a friend, I meant that.”

“Don’t push your luck, Sally Face! Now scram so I can have my alone time.”

Travis pauses, unsure of how to phrase his words, “And, uh…”

“What?”

“Don’t tell anyone about this, or you’re dead!”

A pause lingers between the two.

“Er, I mean, just don’t tell anyone about this. Okay?”

Sal is happy, almost proud, that he got Travis to take down his defensive exterior. Clearly his walls were built up high, and Sal felt privileged to be able to take a glance into the real, emotional Travis Phelps.

“I won’t,” Sal says, his smile evident in his tone, “Promise.”

…

Sal arrives back to the lunchroom to see his friends bickering as usual, he slid back into his spot next to Larry. 

“You were gone for a while, Sally Face, you alright?” Larry asks when he notices Sal’s arrival.

“Yeah, I’m alright, Larry Face,” Sal doesn’t offer anymore than that, he made a promise after all. Luckily, Larry seems content with that. Or, at least, content with not asking anymore then.

“Lunch is practically over, wanna start heading to History? Todds seeing Neil before class so it’s just us walking.”

“Sure, why not?” The two boys grab their bags and make their way out of the cafeteria, saying goodbye to their friends before heading out. 

They pass Travis coming in as they walk out, Sal makes eye contact and offers a subtle wave. Travis glances at him for a moment, Sally notes the blotches around his good eye, before rushing past them. 

No grimace or spiteful comments, so Sally counts it as a win. Also, Larry didn’t seem to notice their silent exchange, which was also a win; Sal is terrible at keeping secrets after all.


	2. We Live in Troubled Times

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A quick look into the daily life of brothers Sal and Larry, with a touch of Travis angst.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took FOREVER to get out and that it's so short. I have a couple of one-shots up on my account (all Sal/Travis ofc) but other than that I haven't had much time to write. I'll definitely try to get the next chapter to y'all sooner (and hopefully make it longer)! Enjoy!
> 
> Follow my tumblr (magic-mar) for an endless stream of reblogs and little to no content, oops

Sal scooped up his stuff around him as the noisy and gym-socks-smelling school bus pulled up to Addison Apartments. Making his way down the aisle with Larry in tow, he hopped out and made his way into the building. 

Waving hello to David and C.J as the two boys passed, Sal and Larry stopped at the elevator.

“You coming down to my place?” Larry dug around in his bag, presumably for his elevator keycard, “Todd has chess club and he’s gonna spend time with Neil after so I’ll be bored as fuck without you,” 

Sal pulled his keycard out of his back pocket and handed it to Larry, who was still shoving things around in his backpack, “Sure, I’ll keep you company Larry Face.”

**…**

“Hey Sal what chips do you want?” Larry called from the other room as Sal dropped his bag and plopped himself on to a beanbag.

“Dude, I literally don’t care,”

Larry eventually clambered back into the room, pushing the door open with his hip on account of his armfuls of snacks.

He tossed a bag of salt and vinegar chips rather ungracefully at Sal, and put their sodas on the floor between the beanbags. 

While Larry fished around for his game controllers Sal unclasped the bottom of his prosthetic to eat his chips. The salt (and vinegar) left his scarred and bitten raw lips slightly burning. He mindlessly picked at his (newly painted) black nails, letting his mind wander in the comfortable silence. 

“Hey, Sally, you know you don’t have to wear that around me, right?” Larry prodded at his arm with a controller. 

“Wear what? My mask?” 

“Yeah dude, it just seems like that sucks since I’ve seen you underneath and you know I don’t care,” he scratched the back of his neck, his tone careful.

“I don’t- I mean- I just… don’t want to make you uncomfortable I guess? You don’t see ‘me’ much and I know I’m not exactly easy on the eyes,” Sal laughed weakly, but Larry was not amused.

“Dude, Sally Face, bro, you taking off your mask will  _ never _ make me uncomfortable. Fake face on or not I love you all the same, so if you’re chill with taking off the mask then do it, don’t worry ‘bout me,” a reassuring hand was now on Sal’s shoulder. 

“I, um,” Sal undid his top clasp and looked up at Larry smiling, “Thanks, Larry Face,” 

“Anytime Sally Face. Now let’s give you a celebratory ass-kicking in this round”

Sal snorted, “As if!”

**…**

“Forgive me father for I have sinned,” Travis sat in the confessional, his breath shallow as he gathered all his courage. _ More like what’s left of it _ his mind sneered. 

“I’ve been having… thoughts.  _ Sinful _ thoughts. About men, or well, one boy specifically. I know it is against God’s image and I pray day after day but they always return. What am I doing wrong, Father Joseph?” his tone was pleading, fed up and tired of his plaguing brain. 

He could even feel the tears pushing at the back of his eyes. It hurt to say it out loud, but it was strangely liberating. Like after years of it being confined to his head it was a little more... real. He could pray in his head to God all he wanted but now it’s out, and he is desperate.

“If you pray to God for forgiveness and you’ve yet to be forgiven, then our Lord is testing you, my child. Testing your willingness to follow his plan, even against your own mind. Remember you must obey him and never give into these demands of the mind. Use this to find how willing you are to follow his true will.”  The priest said, in an all too priest-like voice. 

Priests and pastors and Bishops alike always talked like they were higher than all, like they knew better. Travis wondered if that was right, should they be confident in their knowledge, or should they be humbling themselves in favor of the Lord?

Before he knew it, Travis was blessed and ushered out of the booth, his mind still buzzing with the man’s advice.

Could it be that, maybe this wasn’t trial, but punishment? Travis could be cruel, hell, he  _ is  _ cruel; and especially ruthless to Sally Face. Maybe if he changed his ways and was  _ nice _ to him for a change, the lord would forgive him.

It would have to work because his thoughts are getting awfully loud and he doesn't think he can push them down much longer.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading the first chapter! I’ll always appreciate feedback so please leave comments below if you have anything to say. If you see a spelling mistake you actually have a right to crucify me (also let me know so I can fix it please and thank you). 
> 
> Once again, follow my Tumblr (magic-mar) because if shit goes down™️ and I can’t post I’ll let y’all know over there! If some of you no longer (or just don’t) use Tumblr and would like to follow a social media of mine please let me know and I’ll make an account (Instagram or Twitter, by popular demand) and let me know :))


End file.
